The Film Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Survivors Lost in the Established Order
Capturing the city's relentless energy and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's bracing drama centres on those who live on the fringes of an ever-changing metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; abandoned by his parents, the wide-eyed young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his rowdy group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler significantly older than his age. Illuminated by the wavering neon of a XXX cinema, their initial encounter is physical and passionate, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the shadowy world of the sex trade and drug dealing.
A Portrait of Empathy Instead of Sensationalism
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy rather than as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now going by the name of Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with cocky bravado and endearing innocence. To his clients, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, overflowing with bustling alleyways and vibrant storefronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as adrift individuals cling on to one another for fleeting joy.
"The urban landscape might be riddled with risk, yet they are also the space where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Love and Control
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by envy and economic precarity. Dangers posed by nefarious characters in the criminal underworld are overshadowed by the dread of institutional observation and jail time, represented by the constant sight of police officers on patrol.
Baby is especially potent as a keen observation of the lost people who have slipped through the gaps the established structure. The film functions as a poignant examination into survival, found community, and the pursuit of identity within a unforgiving urban landscape.
